A force is silently making its way and currently sweeping through the music scene of OPM and his name is Marion Talavera. After a long hiatus from the industry, he came back strong and released three teaser tracks this year. This rising star is someone that the industry should watch out for as his heartfelt lyrics and addicting melodies are guaranteed to grab and lock the attention of the listeners on his music. Marion’s music speaks the truth about the themes and reality of love, abandonment, mental health issues, and society’s ideals making it authentic and connecting with the listeners.
Marion and his beginning
From his earliest days as a 16-year-old boy from Cavite who started his journey in music through jamming with his friends in high school to later joining music clubs in college, Marion Talavera would’ve never really known that it was already the beginning of his journey in music.
Admittedly, Marion couldn’t pursue music as time passed because college and corporate jobs became his priority. But eventually, after some time, he found his way back to where he found his comfort and expression, music.
Marion's music and message.
Expressing his thoughts through speaking is not his strongest vice of Marion, “When it comes to [expression] I guess, I’m more reserved, [kind of] introverted.” he admitted. But through his music, he delivers his messages strongly and cohesively.
More and more artists share their experiences and processes on how they create music, but in Marion’s case, it just comes naturally. With his instruments guitar and ukulele, Marion can write his thoughts along with its melody. He follows the mood of a theme while trying to find the right words while strumming a perfect melody.
According to him, he’s more of the type who expresses music through experience. He does not shy away from expressing his thoughts about the reality and the situation that he is facing through his music, making it relatable and touching for the listeners.
Marion and “PAMANA”
On April 5, 2024, Marion released his debut album “Pamana”. Earlier this year, he also released three successful tracks “naglalakad sa gabi”, “alfonso, and “multo” which were also featured in the said album. These tracks served as a teaser for his long-awaited comeback in the music scene.
We haven’t heard from Marion since his last EP release in 2022. Unfortunately, he had a rough patch and he had to take a break from the industry. But he never really stopped with his music, according to him, he knew that if she would release new music, it would have to be a whole project, hence the album.
“Pamana” is a story of a man who is long gone. “When you listen to the album, you will know that the person that I’m talking about is long gone, but it’s like getting to know more about his life”, Marion shared. The inspiration for this album would point to Marion’s life. As highlighted in the line in the song “alfonso”, “Hindi galit pero sama ng loob ang munting pamana”, Marion recalled a personal memory that tackles a familiar theme of familial abandonment.
Marion has written all the songs in this project. This shows how dedicated and involved he was in his crafts. A friend also helped him create the arrangements and instrumentation in the tracks. He wishes that through this album, he wanted to make the listeners feel that they are seen. Through his music, he wanted to make people realize that they are not alone in their struggles and experiences and hopefully, everything will turn out fine by the end.
The track “jump” sets as the opening for this album. It is a song where Marion allows himself to become open and vulnerable – a track that tells a story about a man who’s looking for a way out. It is a reality that some of us face, and Marion bravely faced his doubts in doing and releasing this track. On the other hand, “Summer Rain” the fifth track on this album is a personal favorite as shared by the artist. It closes out the first part of the album and it has a relaxing vibe throughout the track because of its instrumentation. It is a coming-of-age song that serves as a farewell to teenage years hence, making the experience a bit like a “main character” vibe type of music. Tracks such as “takipsilim”, “agila”, “mona lisa”, “final boy/am I?”, and “maghihintay” are also featured in this album.
Marion Talavera: A force to watch out for.
Marion’s journey in the music scene is just about to start. His music, with his genuine message and undeniable skills in writing compelling songs, is solid proof of his talent as a musician. He currently has 22 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, and he is hoping to connect more with people in the industry and dedicated listeners. He recently unlocked a milestone as an artist when he reached a staggering 3 million listens to his infamous track, “Stranger Now”. Amongst his popular releases are his tracks, “Tickets For Two”, “Heart Breaks All the Time”, and “Like Somebody”. With all these, we hope to see more of him in the future.
Currently, Marion wishes to connect more with his fans that he didn’t get to meet in the years that he took a break. He’s planning on doing more shows in Metro Manila. He will be opening for the band “The Ridleys” at Dinalan Coffee this April 20th so be sure to meet him there and join him on his acoustic set!
Follow all his social media accounts for updates and to know more about his future shows and releases. Don’t forget to stream, like, save, and share his music through Spotify! Check out Marion Talavera’s “Pamana”, now streaming on Spotify.
Marion Talavera's Social Media Links:
About the Author
Tine Quirino, also known as Kristine, is a writer (frustrated one), a dreamer (serial sleeper), an INFJ (also INTP/J), a (professional) fangirl, and a good listener (‘literally and figuratively,’ she states).
She is just here, lurking somewhere, enjoying all your music. Music of any kind is still music, after all.
